Transportation bill will get the country moving

On Federal Transit Funding

Antonio R. Villaraigosa

Published 4:00 am, Monday, March 19, 2012

With gas prices at record levels, we are once again hearing the chorus of "drill, baby, drill." But we need to broaden our focus. At this time of rising energy costs and increased demand for more transit options, we should be singing: "Build, baby, build."

Build, as in lay new track and bore new tunnels for light-rail and subway lines. Build, as in improve highway safety and efficiency.

Build, as in put millions of Americans to work constructing a 21st century transportation system that will improve mobility and further rev-up our economic recovery.

The demand is there. Last year, Americans took 10.4 billion trips on public transportation. That's the second-highest total in 50 years. This trend will likely continue in 2012.

The good news is that we can meet this demand. There is a path-breaking proposal on the table that could dramatically accelerate transportation projects across the country. And as a bonus, it wouldn't add a penny to the national debt while creating up to 1 million jobs. It's called America Fast Forward, and it is a key feature of the Senate Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill championed by Sen. Barbara Boxer and that passed last week 74-22.

Over the last few years, voters in Los Angeles County and in cities like Salt Lake City, Denver and Atlanta have had the courage to do something Congress has not: They have voted to raise their taxes and invest the additional revenues in new light-rail lines, safer and more efficient highways and better bus service.

America Fast Forward would exponentially increase the impact of such local commitments. It expands an existing program - the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program - to give more cities access to low-interest financing with flexible terms for their projects. The Senate bill would authorize $1 billion each year for the TIFIA program.

The results would be dramatic. With support of America Fast Forward, Los Angeles could expedite $15 billion in locally funded transit projects, laying track faster and putting people to work sooner. The Phoenix-Mesa region would be able to fully fund its ambitious light-rail system in the next few years instead of in the next 20.

America Fast Forward is an incentive program designed to spur local jurisdictions to raise local revenue for their projects. That's the kind of federalism that both Democrats and Republicans in Washington, D.C., should be able to get behind.

They certainly have gotten behind it outside the Beltway. America Fast Forward enjoys the support of 188 mayors in blue states and red states. It has the support of the AFL-CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Now is the time to set aside the usual partisan wrangling. We need common sense in the service of the common good. We need new transportation investment. We need America Fast Forward. We need a Surface Transportation bill now.

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